Mason Pline traded three years of college basketball for a single standout season at Furman that launched an unconventional pro football journey.
Mason Pline is a 6-foot-7 tight end whose path to the NFL ran through Ferris State basketball before a graduate transfer season at Furman. After stops with the 49ers and Saints, he now looks to carve out a role with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Path to the league
Pline played three seasons of basketball at Ferris State before committing to football full time in 2021, ultimately earning a mechanical engineering degree there. He transferred to Furman for his senior season in 2023, catching 32 passes and four touchdowns in 13 games, then went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
Career highlights
Pline's size at 6-foot-7 and background as a multi-sport athlete made him an intriguing developmental prospect. He spent his rookie year on San Francisco's practice squad before signing a reserve/futures contract in January 2025, then was waived in August 2025 and claimed by the New Orleans Saints, who placed him on season-ending injured reserve.
2025 season recap
Pline's 2025 season ended before it started, as a season-ending injured reserve stint with New Orleans kept him off the field for the year. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in June 2026 and now wears No. 46 as he tries to earn a roster spot on a team with an established tight end room.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Mason Pline
- ESPN: Mason Pline
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Furman
- Hometown
- Fowler, MI, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
